Leg 1 (United States → South Africa → Zambia) Victoria Falls was the first ever location visited in the entire seriesAirdate: September 5, 2001

New York City, New York, United States (Central Park – Bethesda Fountain) (Starting Point) New York City (John F. Kennedy International Airport) to Johannesburg, South Africa (Johannesburg International Airport) Johannesburg (Lanseria Airport) to Livingstone, Zambia (Livingstone Airport)Livingstone (Victoria Falls - Knife's Edge) Livingstone (Batoka Gorge) Songwe Village In the first Fast Forward of the race, teams had to hike down a steep slope to the Boiling Pot on the Zambezi River. In the very first Detour for the entire series had teams choosing between Air and Land. In Air, teams had to take a zipline across the gorge and then experience a 54-meter gorge swing. In Land, teams had to take a long hike down the mountains. An unaired Roadblock (available as a bonus feature on the DVD set) required one team member to cook an ostrich egg, and both team members were required to eat it.

For reasons having to do with current events elsewhere in Africa, Johannesburg does seem to be the best bet this time for legs in Africa. (Uganda, Rwanda, Congo involved in conplicated civil war conflict, Sudan/South Sudan situation still unsettled, etc.

The question I have is whether all of the remaining teams would have to go through Hong Kong to get to Johannesburg; or whether teams leaving Hanoi could have gone to Singapore, Bangkok, or other hubs to get there. If we haven't seen all of the teams at the Hong Kong airport, then the other question is whether the teams that were seen there are leading or trailing teams, or risk takers or risk adverse in their travel arrangements.

The other comment I'll make is that South Africa as the next country is still consistent with a mostly-southern hemisphere, or at least south of the Tropic of Cancer route that I've been speculating about.

You are not the only individual who has hypothesized a route to Africa and South America. World Race Productions blew the southern hemisphere route by going to Hanoi. The entire rest of AR21 may be south of the equator, but I doubt it.

Some hypothesize Johannesburg is next and I believe Addis Ababa is more likely. There are dozens of other possibilities. That qualifies for your below the Tropic of Cancer route.

ALL we have to go on is one twitter suggesting Africa as a POSSIBLE destination. NOTHING is confirmed until we have further sightings.

I also liked the direct flight to Katmandu!

I say we have TWO twitter suggestions: One from the ground in Hong Kong and another directly from Phil Keoghan: He says he is a 12 hour flight away from where he took off. Just map a 12 hr flight away from Hanoi or a 12 hr flight away from Hong Kong, limit that to the destinations available WEST BOUND within the available time frame and that puts him either in Paris, London, Frankfurt, Munich or Jo'burg.

Paris, London, Frankfurt, Munich do not sound much like they can be confused with African destinations.

I'd say most eyes should be in sub-equatorial Africa if not just in South Africa.

Do we even know that Phil was leaving Hanoi through Hong Kong? He might have left Hanoi heading to a different hub city than the Racers that were seen in Hong Kong. That would coincidentally, make the 12 hour flight fit better headed to Johannesburg rather than the longer time needed from Hong Kong. That could suggest Bangkok or Singapore as alternatives for Phil.

I noticed that when I was looking up Maun Botswana on Google Earth. While self driving might be fun, I'd expect that a bus or train would be more likely. Or perhaps hired drivers. I don't know what the local safety issues might be.

I'm pretty sure that is in Dubai and is a TAR Ukraine sighting. DM is probably Dubai Mall, one of the largest shopping malls in the world. I think that's where the indoor ski slope is that was used a few seasons back on TAR.

In terms of European countries, I'd definitely put the feelers out in Norway - the producers seem to love rewarding countries that get their own versions with visits. Think about it:

TAR Asia 1 establishes Malaysia as its base, the next US season (TAR 11) visits Kuala LumpurBrazil gets a version, the next US season (TAR 13) visits Brazil and features many of the same locationsIsrael gets a version, though the country is on CBS's blacklist, the next full-scale foreign season (TAR Australia 1) visits itLatin America's first season was run by an Argentine production company, the next US season (TAR 16) visits BarilocheChina... well, you know...TAR Australia gets a version, the next US season (TAR 18) visits Sydney and Broken HillFrance gets a version, the next US season (TAR 21) visits itVietnam gets a version, the next US season after it finishes airing (TAR 22) visits it

That just leaves Norway, the Philippines, and the upcoming Ukrainian version. The Philippines is out (although depending on when it was confirmed the TAR Australia 2 visit could count as its reward), but Norway and the Ukraine are still possible.

TAR must have arrived in Botswana on the 25th. Its about time we fix our eyes somewhere else. I bought Oslo and Kiev but I also want to keep with the southern hemisphere route and there are non-stops to Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires out of JNB. Where else do you think?